Ten years ago today, Jenny Nicholl left home and was never seen again by her parents who are still seeking the truth behind their daughter’s murder. Joe Willis reports

A DECADE has passed since the murder of Jenny Nicholl brought shock, grief and sadness to the normally-peaceful North Yorkshire market town of Richmond.

'Jenny Nicholl case won't close until teenager found' say police
Jenny's killer David Hodgson tried in vain to cover tracks

Those who knew the teenager or lived in and around the town will remember the time vividly - the exhaustive police enquiries, the endless rumours, the desperate appeals and the extensive searches of the surrounding countryside. But while life will have sooner or later returned to normal for most of those in some way affected by the violent crime, Brian and Ann Nicholl, Jenny's parents, have told how their life can never go back to how it was.

The Northern Echo:
GRIEF: Jenny’s parents, Brian and Ann Nicholl, say they are still waiting for the truth

Speaking exclusively to The Northern Echo, the couple said that losing a child due to a criminal act - especially when that act is committed by a much older adult - changes your life forever.

For the parents, the immediate aftermath of Jenny's disappearance was only the beginning, with the investigation, the trial, sentencing and then the failed appeal, all having a depressing impact.

And while middle-aged unemployed father of two David Hodgson was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 18 years, they said that the healing process could never fully be completed because the killer had refused to reveal what happened that night ten years ago and where he hid the 19-year-old's body.

"A decade has passed since Jenny was murdered and although the suddenness of the loss has eased, and the initial despair and trauma and years of anguish have lessened, we are still left without the knowledge of the circumstances in which it occurred - this makes total normality an impossible aspiration."

The couple said they had always tried to conduct themselves with quiet dignity, despite the despair and emotional trauma they have suffered.

"This is in stark contrast to David Hodgson who is responsible for this unlawful taking of life, as he persists in breaking every social rule and norm of morality," they added.

The Northern Echo:
ABANDONED: A car identical to the one left at The Holly Inn, Richmond, by Jenny Nicholl or her killer David Hodgson

"Whilst we continue our wait for truth, to establish what happened and why, we will not appeal to him directly because of his apparent lack of any moral principles as well as being in constant denial."

Instead, the couple thanked everyone who was involved in the investigation and took part in the searches, as well as those who have shown kindness to them in the last ten years.

"We will go on thinking of our Jenny and not Hodgson, we will continue to act with dignity and we will maintain a normal family life as we are not the ones serving a life sentence in prison," they added.